She Treads Softly: Primitive

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Primitive

Primitive by Mark Nykanen

ARC - 186 pages

published October, 2009

not recommended

Synopsis

A "neo-primitive" cult, possessing secret government documents filled with terrifying information about global warming, kidnaps a famous fashion model and holds her hostage, forcing her to act as their spokesperson. As time runs out, her estranged daughter allies with a dangerous activist group to rescue her, while battling dark agendas from the government and Big Oil.

My Thoughts:

I won an ARC of Primitive in a give away. Although it looked like it might have some promise in the beginning - after the kidnapping happened it really jumped the shark for me. I'm willing to suspend disbelief for a novel, but this really was more propaganda than plot. I can't explain the high ratings for this one. It's not worth your time. Not recommended

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John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.